Vending mechanism



E. o. P. TATTER 2,211,799

VENDING- MECHANI SM Aug. 20, 1940.

Filed April 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i? 2 ff' Aug zo, 1940. E Q P,TAT'TER 2,211,799

VENDING MECHANISM Filed April 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. zo, 1940.

E. o. P. TATTER 2,211,799 VENDING MEGHANISM Filed April 2l. 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug.. 20, 1940 SEATS nigga VENDING MECHANISMApplication April 21, 1938, Serial No. 203,406

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine adaptable in different sizes to vendor dispense various articles, packages, commodities or the, like andmore particularly concerns the dispensing or discharging mechanismthereof.

An important object is to provide such a mechanism with novel means forincreasing the effect of movement of a manually operable part, usuallyunder coin control, so that the machine may be built of` minimum sizewith the vended article at each vending operation, projected asufficient distance for ready grasping or removal from the machine.

A second object is to provide such a discharging mechanism with ejectingarm means normally preventing premature descent of the lowermostvendible article and which is retractile to permit such descent and thenfurther operates to discharge or eject the article.

A third object is to provide a novel means on the discharging orejecting device which coacts with the cover plate at the dischargeopening to prevent successful tampering or removal of articles from themachine through said opening without the deposit of the proper coin.

A fourth object is to provide a novel discharge or ejecting slide andmounting therefor.

A fifth object is to provide such a discharge mechanism as may beoperated without employ- 30- ing springs if desired, and so that in theevent a spring breaks, operation will not be impaired.

A further object is to provide a novel means to automatically lock thedischarging mechanism against operation when the machine is empty.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating one operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

`Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation but primarily in centralvertical section, illustrating my machine;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower portion of themachine;

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on the plane of line 3 3 ofFigure 1;

Figure l is a section taken substantially on the plane of line ll-Q ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially onthe same plane as Figure l, but with the discharge or dispensingmechanism in rearmost position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan of the discharge plate;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the discharging or dispensing device;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan of the discharging or dispensing mountingmeans.;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation` of one of the verticalmounting parts for the dispensing or discharging device, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary' vertical section,v detailing the latchingconnectionV between the coinoperable mechanism and thev dispensing ordischarging devce. i

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein sponding parts throughoutthe different views, H designates a cabinet or casing of suitable size,shape and ornamentation, most ofthe parts of which I preferably make of'sheet metal, usually connecting them together by welds where the jointsare to be rigid. The back of such cabinet or casing l2 is hinged inplace on a vertical axis i4 so that it may be openedv at times to supplyarticles l5 to a magazine or space It 'within the casing, for dispensingor vending. Obviously, said back or closure l2 may be locked if desired,the details concerning which are not shown ras they constitute no parto-f the instant invention. The machine will accommodate articles l5' ofany character and for instance enveloped or wrapped sanitary pads. Saidarticles l5 are maintained in spaced relation to the back or closure l2by reason of an offset spacer wall ll carried by said back or closure.l2.

Said articles l5 are-dispensed or vended one at a time through operationof any desired coin control mechanism and since the latterspecificallyvforms no part of the present invention, it is butfragmentarily shown at C. It has an operating slide i8 normally extendedas in Figure 1 and adapted to be pushed inwardly as in Figure 5following deposit of the proper coin in a slot i9, to initiate adispensing or vending operation.

Such vending, dispensing or discharging of the lowermost article i5 iseffected through an opening 20 in the front Wall 2l of the casing into ahorizontal chute 22 (Figures 1 and 5) formed by an enlargement 23extending forwardly from said front wall. In said opening El depends aguardV or cover plate 24 of' substantially the same area as the opening,being hinged at the top to the casing on a horizontal axis 2,5 so as tobe capable of being pushed outwardly by the discharging movement of thelowermost article I 5v and then fall back to vertical position. Saidlike reference characters designate like or correu hinge means 25 mountsthe guard 24 so as to be incapable of swinging inwardly past thevertical to minimize danger of tampering with the contents and parts ofthe machine with the aid of hair pins, stick needles, wir-es and thelike.

Operable at the base of the space or magazine IB is a laterally slidabledispensing or discharging device designated 26 as a whole, best shown inFigs. 3 and 4, but important parts of which are illustrated detached asin Figures 6 and '1.

Said dispensing or discharging mechanism comprises an upper or metalplate portion 21 which is bent upwardly at the rear end as at 28 andthen forwardly as a shelf 29, then returned beneath the shelf 29 anddownwardly into inclined guides 30 which are terminally welded orotherwise fastened to the plate or portion 21 proper.

Each end portion of the plate 21 is doubled over as shown and at theforward half is separated at 3l from the remainder of portion 21 andformed into upwardly and inwardly returned hook-shaped guards 32. Plate21 in all positions rests adjacent its forward end on the bottom wall ofchute 22 and the guards 32 are always in said chute forwardly of theguard 24. Guards 32 function especially in the innermost position of thedischarge device 26, as shown in Fig. 5, because they are extremelyclose to depending guard 24 to prevent outward movement of the latter inan attempt to tamper with the mechanism or articles I5 through openingr20 if an unauthorized person succeeds in placing the parts in thecondition shown in Fig. 5 without having deposited the proper coin.

Fastened to the plate or portion 21 by welding or otherwise is aslidable bracket 33 and similarly fastened to the underside of bracket33 at the rear thereof, is a dependent 34, the said bracket anddependent having outwardly extending anges 35 at their junction, formingrails which are slidably mounted in U-shaped tracks 36 provided by thejunction of horizontal wings or plates 31 and strips 38 welded thereto.

Risers or uprights 39 support the inner ends of wings 31 from the bottomof the casing I D, being welded to both and at the outer'portions, saidwings are welded as at 4D to the side walls of the casing. Said wingsterminate in upward- 1y and inwardly inclined supporting portions orrails 4I being somewhat resilient and in supporting contact with theunder surface of the end portions of plate 21.

The side walls of the casing or cabinet I9 have offset portions 42 fromwhich bolts or pivot members 43 are vertically mounted. Pivoted on eachmember 43 is an article-ejecting arm 44 which passes loosely through anopening 45 in the adjacent inclined guide 30. Said ejecting arms arerelatively high and in the normal condition of the parts as shown inFigure 4, the pair of arms 44 converge in a forward direction. In thisnormal position (see Fig. 1) the lowermost article I5 is not alignedwith chute 22, as a guard against successful tampering, but is supportedby the shelf 29 in combination with the portions of arms 44 extendingforwardly thereof as in Figures 1 and 4. Such arms 44 thus functiondually as ejectors and as supports for the articles I5.

A pair of contractile coil springs 46 are connected to the dependent 34and to the front wall of the casing or an adjacent part so as to urgethe discharging device 26 forwardly to the normal position of Figs. land 4 in which it is stopped by the contact of iianges or rails 35 withabutment means 41 on the wings 31.

In order to operate the present machine, it is necessary to push slidei8 to its innermost limit and the coin control mechanism C is generallyof that construction which cannot be pushed in or operated successfullywithout deposit of the proper coin in slot I9, and such mechanismfurthermore is of that character where the slide I8 after having beenpushed inwardly to any extent cannot be pulled back 'without completingthe inward movement, although the coin control mechanism generallyconstitutes no part of the invention.

The springs 46 are employed usually when articles of light Weight are tobe dispensed. Optionally and especially when heavier articles are to bedispensed, means is provided in lieu of said springs so that the slideI8 must be positively pulled back to complete a dispensing or vendingoperation. To this end, a dog or pawl generally of U-shape 5I (Figs. 5and 10) has its sides provided with hooks or notches 48. The rear end ofslide i8 has a cross member 49 and a pintle 50 pivotally connects thedog 5I to the cross member 49. A coil spring 52 surrounds pintle 59 andis connected at one end to the dog 5I and at the other end to crossmember 49 normally tending to rock the dog counterclockwise into contactwith said cross member.

In the normal position of the parts when springs 45 are not employed,the lower ends of the dog 5I rest on a plate 53 which has an opening 54therethrough to enable a deposited coin to fall on to a guide 55 leadingit to the rear of the casing. In this position the dog is rocked againstthe tension of its spring 52 so that the hooks or notches 48 are abovethe plane of engagement with the dependent 34. When the slide I8 undercoin control is pushed inward, the lower portion of' the dog 5I firstslides on plate 53 and then falls 01T the rear end thereof, with thenotches engaging the dependent 34 at an opening 34 thereof so thatfurther inward pushing of slide I8 moves the discharging or dispensingdevice 25 inward from the position of Fig. l to that of Fig. 5 and todispense or vend the lowermost article I5, it is thereupon necessary topull out on the slide I8, which restores the parts to normal position.

Briefly describing the operation, the parts are normally in the positionof Figs. 1 and 4 where the lowermost article I5 is supported by theshelf 29 and forward ends of the ejector arms 44. To vend or dispensethe lowermost article, slide I8 is pushed inward under coin control asheretofore specifically traced, tensioning springs 46 or resulting indog 5I, whichever is employed, engaging dependent 34, gripping the sameand moving the discharge or ejecting device 26 to rearmost position,that is from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 5. It will be notedthat during such inward movement of discharging device 26, the guides 39cause the pivoted ejecting arms 44 to retract from the full lineposition of Fig. 4 to the dotted or aligned position in the same ligure.the ejecting arms 44 and shelf 29 moving out of alignment with themagazine I6, permittingr the lowermost article I5 to fall onto the plate21. The slide I 8 is then returned through the tension of springs 46, ifemployed, or pulled toward the operator positively moving the device 26therewith, with the `guides 30 spreading the ejecting arms back to theposition of Fig. 4 and against the adjacent article I5 ejecting itthrough the opening 2li, displacing the guard 24, and passing into thechute 22 between the hook guards 32, thedog 5l near the end of thedispensing operation striking the end of plate 53, releasing dependent34 and moving to the dotted line position of Fig. 5.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the ejector mechanismdisclosed when set into operation ejects the article automatically at anincreased speed and with a throw-out in excess of its overall movementeither way.

Obviously the strength and gauge of the ejector springs 46 will bedetermined or varied according to the weight resting on the ejectingarms or levers.

When the casing or cabinet becomes empty;

that is as the last article l5 is discharged, lock or latch levers 55'at depending forward ends 56 will enter openings 5'! in strips 33. Saidlatch levers 55 are pivoted to bracket 33 at 5B. Such levers haveupwardly extending portions 59 movable in slots 6@ in the plate 21 andits shelf 29 being normally depressed by articles l5 thereon and by thebottom wall of spacer Vi when in rearmost position. Such levers arepreferably weighted at Ei. When the articles i5 no longer rest onportions 59, the portions 55 ldescend and when they register withopenings 5l fall into the latter, thus arresting any attempted dischargeuntil the supply of articles i5 is replenished.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall Within the spiritand scope of the invention.

iii/'hat I claim as my invention is:

l. In a machine of the class described, an article-dischaging mechanismcomprising a displaceable part, article-ejector means, said displaceablepart and ejector means being constructed and arranged and normallydisposed to support an article and intercept discharge of the article,means mounting said ejector means, and means operable to simultaneouslydisplace said part and retract the ejector means to enable an article tomove in the path of the ejector means for discharge through subsequentmovement of the ejector means.

2. In a machine of the class described, an article-discharging mechanismcomprising a displaceable part, article-ejector means, said displaceablepart and ejector means being constructed and arranged to normallysupport an article above the line of discharge, means mounting saidejector means, and means operable through movement of said partl toretract the ejector means to enable an article to fall into said linefor discharge through subsequent movement of the ejector means.

3. In a machine according to claim 2, said subsequent movement of theejector means being in the direction opposite to that oi retraction.

li. In a machine of the class described, an article-dischargingmechanism comprising an article-discharge plate, a raised portion onsaid plate, ejector means secured to the plate and normally extendingbeyond said raised portion, a magazine beneath which said raised portionand ejector means are normaly disposed to support an article above theline of discharge, means to move said plate to retract the raisedportion from alignment with the magazine, means operable throughmovement o the plate to retract the ejector means from alignment withthe magazine so that the article may engage the plate forwardly of theraised portion for ejection by the ejector means through movement in theopposite direction.

5. In a machine of the class described, an article-discharging mechanismcompriisng a slidable member having a raised shelf, means mounting themember, a magazine beneath which the shelf is normally disposed, ejectormeans pivoted to said mounting means, guide means on the slidable memberthrough which the ejector means projects, the free end of the ejectormeans and shelf normally supporting an article above the line ofdischarge, and said guide means serving to swing the ejector meansthrough movement of the slidable member to enable the article to moveinto said line and to then be discharged.

6. A machine according to claim 5 having a delivery chute in the line ofdischarge, said slidable member extending into and being supported bysaid chute.

'7. A machine according to claim 5 having an outwardly movable guard insaid line of discharge, and means on said slidable member outwardly ofthe guard coacting with the latter in the innermost position of theslidable member to prevent outward movement of said guard.

8. A machine according to claim 5- having a delivery chute in the lineof discharge, said slidable member extending into and being supported bysaid chute, means forming a depending guard in said line adjacent therear of the chute so that an ejected article will be supported by thechute forwardly of the guard, and guard members on the slidable memberadjacent opposite ends of the latter outwardly of the guard andextending upwardly to coact with the guard in the innermost position ofthe slidable member to prevent tampering with said guard.

9. In a machine of the class described, a movable article-dischargingpart, article-ejector means, means movably mounting the latter, saidarticle-ejector means being interconnected with said part and having agreater movement than said part to effect article throw-out, and meansto impart said movement to the article-ejector means through themovement of the discharging part.

10. A machine of the class described having an article supporting anddischarging slide, and means movable interconnected with the slideoperable through movement of the slide to impart an ejecting movementrelatively to the slide to an article supported on the slide.

ll. A machine of the class described having an article supporting anddischarging plate, and means operable during and through movement of theplate to advance an article carried by the plate a greater distancerelatively to the plate than the extent of movement of the plate tofacilitate ejection.

12. A machine of the class described having a discharge means, slidableoperating means having a latch device pivoted thereon, a spring urgingthe latch device to a position to snap into engagement with thedischarge means through movement of the operating means in onedirection, and a plate xed relatively to the operating means serving asan abutment and support for the latch device to rock the latter againstthe tension of its spring to disengage the latch device from thedischarge means through limited movement of the operating means in theopposite direction.

13. A machine of the class described having a discharging mechanismincluding an article-delivery slide, means depending therefrom havingpivoted, depending means on the plate having rails, mounting means forthe rails including laterally extending Wings, the outer ends of saidwings extending upwardly and inwardly beyond the pivotal connections ofthe arms to the offsets and being in supporting engagement with theplate.

ERNST O. P. TATI'ER.

